Evaluation of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Elderly People with Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Background and purpose: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common form of diabetes, and a metabolic disorder affecting patients' general health in various ways. The present study aimed to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among older adults of Amirkola, Northern Iran. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted with a sample of 500 elderly people (250 with T2DM and 250 healthy controls) who answered geriatric oral health assessment index (GOHAI) questionnaire and a questionnaire evaluating xerostomia. Then, all participants underwent clinical dental examinations. The obtained data were then analyzed by t-test, chi-square test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient, and p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence of xerostomia was not statistically significant between the T2DM patients and control groups (p < 0.079). Greater number of patients suffering T2DM reported xerostomia according to the records; however, the correlation between this disorder and periodontal disease index (PDI), Plaque index (PI), oral health index-simplified (OHI-S), and geriatric oral health assessment index (GOHAI) in the subjects of the two study groups was not significant (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: In the present study, there was no significant relationship between GOHAI and periodontal indices, demonstrating no difference in the OHRQoL of elderly patients with T2DM and older healthy adults.

Evaluation of Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Elderly People with Type II Diabetes Mellitus Keywords:

Quality of Life , Diabetes Mellitus , Oral Health , Oral Health-Related Quality of Life